Playa de San Juan seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
Playa de San Juan shakes off the summer slumber when the low-pressure tracks of the North Atlantic and western Mediterranean start to fire in October. Average swell heights climb back to 1.5-1.7m (5-6ft) and average periods stretch into the 11-13s range, delivering the powerful long-period surf that the beach's NNE exposure is built for. The core of the season runs October through March, with December standing out as the peak: the largest percentage of offshore S/SW wind days and solid NW-NNW swell line up together. When the NAO-related storm track dips south-east into the Mediterranean, Playa de San Juan receives a mix of long-period NNW, N and NNE groundswell; the challenge remains the accompanying north-easterly wind.
Fair Surf Season (April - May and September)
These shoulder months offer a taste of surf but require patience. April still averages 1.5m (5ft) with a 10.6s period, while May and September retain enough of the north-north-east swell window to produce rideable but less powerful waves. Clean conditions become rarer as the Azores High builds and the thermal low pulls the wind into the onshore NE quadrant. The ideal wind percentage drops into the 3-6% range. If a late-season or early-season low swings through and a south-west breeze appears, this is still worth a paddle; otherwise expect average, punchy waves with surface texture.
Low Surf Season (June - August)
Summer is the season surfers in Playa de San Juan learn to sleep in. Average heights sit at 1.2-1.4m (4-5ft) but periods collapse to 7.3-8.1s, and the wind is ideal 0-2% of the time. The dominant NNE and N winds blow directly onshore, turning even the modest NNE summer windswell into lumpy, choppy, grovelling conditions. Add warm water in the 20-22°C range and the occasional glassy dawn, but for real quality the summer months are mostly a write-off.